HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Authorities have arrested a 27-year-old man from Akron, Ohio, in connection with a deadly shooting in Huntington that claimed the lives of two men and injured a third.
The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on February 20, 2026, in the 300 block of 14th Street, in a parking lot near Marshall University’s campus. Huntington Police identified the victims as Adrian Phillips, 26, who worked for the city’s Public Works Department in the Street Division, and Derious Johnson, 39, a youth basketball coach at St. Joseph Catholic School in Huntington. Phillips and Johnson were brothers.
A third victim was shot but remains in stable condition at a local hospital.
Huntington Police Detectives and Forensic Investigators quickly identified Kevante White (also referred to as Kevante Jaimere White in some reports), 27, of Akron, as the suspect. On February 21, warrants were issued for two counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony malicious wounding (also described as malicious or unlawful assault with a firearm).
Investigators determined White fled to the Akron area after the shooting. The Huntington Police Department requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service to locate him.
On February 22, members of the U.S. Marshals-led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), along with the Stark County Sheriff’s Office, arrested White without incident at a home in the 4600 block of Grandview Avenue NW in Canton, Ohio (Stark County). He is being held in a Stark County correctional facility as a fugitive from justice, pending extradition to West Virginia.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated that the victims “were senselessly murdered and taken from their families and communities,” emphasizing the quick collaboration between agencies to apprehend the suspect.
The Huntington Police Department expressed gratitude to partnering agencies, including the Cabell County Prosecutor’s Office, WV Fusion Center, U.S. Marshals Service Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (including Akron Police, Summit County Sheriff, Medina County Sheriff, Adult Parole Authority, Stark County Sheriff, and Portage County Sheriff), and the U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force – Huntington Division.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police continue to seek any additional information from the public.
This case highlights the rapid response and inter-agency cooperation following a violent crime that has deeply affected the Huntington community, where Johnson was remembered for his dedication to youth through coaching and Phillips for his public service.
